First baseman Michael Aubrey looks like he may be sticking around awhile longer as he looks to be in line to get a fourth option year. Players get three option years once they are added to the 40-man roster, but a lot of people are not aware a fourth option year can be given for medical reasons. Any player who is entering his fourth or fifth season on a 40-man roster gets a fourth option year (without waivers) if he has missed one or more seasons to injury. Specifically, missing a season to injury means they accrued less than 90 days on an active roster. Aubrey was rostered back in November 2005, but proceeded to only play in 14 games in the 2006 season during his first option year and was active for just a few days that season. As a result, Aubrey should be in line to get this special exception for a 4th option year. This has been done in the past for the Indians, most recently with the likes of Brian Tallet, Jason Stanford, and Andrew Brown. Left-hander Tony Sipp should also get this special 4th option year when his third and final option year runs out (likely after the 2010 season).

Assuming one of the the 3 'others' in the OF get traded, looks as though either Aubrey or Marte will be the 4th bench player at the worst. I too can see Aubrey possibly getting the 1B job out of ST (if Garko is traded)....

Consigliere wrote:Aubrey essentially could end up taking Marte's 2008 role.

I'm not a fan of Marte by any stretch, but does he not have more value as a bench player than Aubrey?

I don't see this team carrying a bench player that can only back up one position (1B) - I'm not counting DH.

I see a slim chance Marte makes the team, but I think his chances are slightly higher than Aubrey because he can back up at both corners.

I see where you are going with that, but I think Aubrey would be used much more than Marte was. The thing with Marte is he hit right-handed, so the option to use him as a pinch-hitter was a lot less because Garko and Blake were right-handed hitters. Aubrey on the other hand depending on who is signed at 3B can pinch hit and matchup for Garko more and even the 3B (or 2B) depending on the quality of the guy signed or traded for.

Yes, he would only play one position.....but with Carroll able to play everywhere you can be more specialized with that other infield bench guy. I think a left-handed bat would be good. Sorta like how in 2006 they had Broussard/Perez platoon where both guys had such little flexibility but offered a good bench option to hit when the other was not playing. Just my thoughts on that.

Duane Kuiper wrote:But does Aubrey really deserve a ML spot? At age 26 he only had a 746 OPS in AAA. He did nothing in the ML.

His OPS for AA is 750. Goleski is higher than that and nobody wants him in the ML.

Deserve? No.

But, you still let the kid play in spring training and reward accordingly. I like him right now over any of our options for the second infield bench guy. Who else for the bench? Barfield? Some 4A retread vet we likely pickup on an NRI? I guess maybe if they don't dump Dellucci he gets that spot, although I still think somehow, someway that one of Dellucci, Gutierrez, or Francisco (maybe even two) are traded this offseason.

Hermie13 wrote:Accorign to the KC Star newspaper Gut,Francisco (hopefully), or Crowe could be traded for Teahan.

Wonder if this deal were to happen, if it'd hurt Aubrey's chances of making the team out of ST. Teahan being a lefty would make it seem Marte could be more valuable......

Hope he does get a shot...he's had the deck stacked against him with all those injuries.....

well the important thing is to prove you can play when heathy and he has never shown that, injuries are an excuse but when healthy you need to step up. I mean Adam Miller is the same draft class, same injury issues, but he actually preformed when given the chance

It is all well and good to protect the young talent....but you have to have useable players on the 40-man roster who can play from day one of the season. You need to have a usable 40-man of 33-35 players and if you roster too many green, young guys you really leave yourself little roster flexibility.

Hermie13 wrote:Adam Miller hasn't pitched in the MLs....at least Aubrey has gotten there. Not sure how you can say Miller has shown more at this point....

thats borderline crazy, Aubrey did jack when he made it to the show and was sent back where he has never once dominated or showed anything other than being a below avg first basemen. Miller has been dominate showed ACE ability and has been universally loved. Yes the injuries are an issue but if you really think Aubrey has shown more thast crazy. If by more you mean hes a lesser player thenyes your right

If Miller is healthy, he is an impact player right now in the bullpen or as a starter. He is tons more valuable than Aubrey, who at this point looks like nothing more than a bit player. Which is sad, because he can hit and used to be a slick fielder, but the injuries took their toll.

Never said Miller didn't have more potential than Aubrey. Just that showing 6 games of good stuff is hardly enough to say he's ready to make an impact.

He needs to prove he can stay healthy for through May at least before I see him making the Indians club. And 'ACE' like stuff I just don't see anymore. More of a #2....maybe a closer if he's got the makeup (yet to be determined....but doesn't seem to be that mentally tough so far). Obviously a #2 is much more valuable that Aubrey, but Aubrey has shown more at a higher level than Miller, who in 26 games (18 starts) at AAA has a 4.01 ERA. Good....but hardly great.